


Proposal

by wordscavenger



Series: Detroit Evolution Artfest [4]
Category: Detroit Evolution - Fandom, Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), octopunk media - Fandom
Genre: DEArtfest, Detroit Evolution Artfest (Detroit: Become Human), M/M, Marriage Proposal, Octopunk Media, Soft Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:47:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25246387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordscavenger/pseuds/wordscavenger
Summary: DEArtfest Prompt #4: ProposalYear: 2039Nines and Gavin take on an anti-android bigot, and then get engaged.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Series: Detroit Evolution Artfest [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1812310
Comments: 8
Kudos: 109





	Proposal

* * *

“Reports now show that the debate to possibly legalize human-android marriages will extend into the following year, with both parties eager to discuss the political and financial ramifications were this law to go into effect.”

Nines folded his arms across his chest, and frowned at the precinct’s break room TV.

The male reporter covering the highlights for the eleven o’clock news hour turned to his co-host to start in on a new topic, but whatever he was about to say became muted as Nines delved into his processing cache.

The last he had heard, Markus and his team at Jericho were involved in this debate, but not heavily. Understandably, Markus’ attentions were more focused on making sure the dozen other debated laws would be passed or upheld to ensure the future survival of androids. They needed fuel, safety, and most importantly freedom from human’s long history of aggression against those they didn’t accept.

Whether androids and humans could legally become married was important, but not high on Markus’ list of priorities.

And Nines understood. He did. But, he also knew every right the government tried to deny androids would only make humans derogatory aggression against them feel more justified. The less they were given, the more the government might try to take away.

“I swear to God, if my daughter came home one day and told me she was planning on hitching up with a fucking droid, I’d disown her.”

Nines’ auditory sensor picked up the gruff voice echoing behind him in the break room at the precinct, and he felt his processing unit tense when he realized who the voice belonged to. He had been so focused on watching the news segment, he didn’t realize he was no longer alone.

Mackenzie and Kelleher were just past middle-aged detectives on loan from the Flint police force to help with a case involving gang members trying to expand their dealings into Detroit. The detectives were intimate with the case, and had been working within the precinct for almost two weeks.

Nines had soon learned that as unsteady as android relations were here in Detroit, they were almost non-existent in Flint.

“Hey dishwasher,” Mackenzie said. “You better not be getting any ideas. I can tell you right now women don’t want any dick-less ken dolls.”

Nines just turned and left the room.

It didn’t take a genius to know that men like them thrived on confrontation as a way to feel more in control of their prejudices and to justify their bigoted mentalities. They had been heckling and pushing for a fight from Nines and any other android that crossed their paths since they had first arrived. But Nines never gave in. He may be deviant, but he hadn’t an ounce of patience for the men and their slurs towards him. He knew the situation was temporary, and was just riding the time till they had to leave.

Basically, if he didn’t fuel their fire, they would have nothing to burn.

“Don’t walk away. I’m not done talking to you,” Mackenzie suddenly yelled as he followed him out of the break-room and into the bull-pen.

Nines paused, surprised. Normally they slung a few derogatory names and slipped in inappropriate dialog whenever they had the chance, but one constant was they didn’t follow Nines when he dismissed himself from the conversations.

Nines turned to Mackenzie, and promptly turned on his sensors.

Ah. This was new.

He hadn’t considered the stress of working an endless case and the toll of being away from their families would take on the detectives, but it was clear the exhaustion had finally caught up.

Their eyes were as red as Nines’ LED when he and Gavin fought. Their fingers were stained with the same smoke and nicotine traces he used to see on Gavin’s before they stopped fighting.

And their breath reeked of stale tap beer and the watered-down cheap whisky Hank sometimes drank.

They were, essentially, drunk off their asses.

“Perhaps you and Detective Kelleher should consider retiring for the evening,” Nines said cautiously. He noticed a few of the other officers had paused in their work to watch what was happening when Mackenzie raised his voice at Nines. He saw Chris Miller get up from his workstation chair and walk over to stand next to Nines, giving him a ‘you good?’ look.

Nines nodded slightly at Chris before turning back to Mackenzie, his sensors set to alert him if either man tried anything physical.

“Hey!” Mackenzie yelled. “You don’t give the orders you overpriced vacuum cleaner. Men created you, and you can be damn sure we’ll put you down if we’re so much as in the mood.” He stepped forward, pointing a finger at Nines. “And if you think you can come in and start marrying our women like you’ve got any damn thing that you can offer them, we’ll flip that off switch so fast you’ll go down faster than the Titanic.

On some level, Nines knew he was offended. That this man thought he could tell Nines what to do at any time was absurd, but Nines felt even more appalled for women in general that there were men out there who thought they could talk and act like this on their behalf.

And while his sensors had been initiated because of Detective Mackenzie’s aggression, they were now being triggered by Chris, who was breathing heavily beside him, rage growing throughout his body like his veins were poisoned. Nines knew that ‘protecting women’ had been and still was an outdated excuse used to justify racial violence and discrimination, and as offended as Nines was, he could only calculate how this was affecting Chris. That he hadn’t already decked Mackenzie reinstated to Nines just how resilient Chris could be.

“I think Nines marrying a woman is about the last thing any of us needs to worry about, Mackenzie.”

Everyone turned to see Gavin walking out of Fowler’s office, his eyes tired and a mug of coffee Nines knew was most likely near-empty in Gavin’s hand.

Behind him, Fowler stepped out of the office as well, his arms folded and his face showing unmasked fury.

“Stay out of this Reed. It’s none of your damn business,” Mackenzie shouted, but with less conviction as his eyes landed on Fowler.

Gavin shook his head, a wry smile on his lips.

He was aware that the two men were giving Nines a hard time, and hadn’t been happy about it at all. More than once he had burst into Fowler’s office cursing them out, and while Nines appreciated the assist, he just counted the days until the men would be gone. Nines had even kept most of the worst the men had said hidden from Gavin, but he wouldn’t be surprised if Chris or Tina had shared what he had missed.

Now it seemed like Gavin was done with Mackenzie’s shit, and was about to do something about it.

“Can’t do that Mackenzie,” Gavin said. “Cause it is my business. See, you’re over here accusing Nines of wanting to shack up with some women, but somehow your dumbass face missed the memo that Nines is already shacking up with me.”

He took a slow sip of his coffee and watched as Mackenzie’s mouth hung open.

“You, him? That’s disg-”

“Finish that word and you’re finished here,” Fowler said, his voice low and dangerous.

By now Gavin had walked up towards Nines, his smile growing wider after hearing Fowler give Mackenzie a warning.

Gavin turned to Mackenzie. Both men regarded each other, and though Gavin’ kept his smile light, his eyes told a different story.

“Look, Mackenzie, I get it’s scary. Things are changing, and you’re worried that you’re going to be replaced. Who wouldn’t want to replace a sorry old sad sack like you?”

Mackenzie growled as some of the other officers began snickering.

“I felt the same way about androids once, so how about I do you a solid? I’m going to make sure you have one less android to worry about, okay?”

Gavin put his mug down on the desk Mackenzie had been using since coming there, and then pushed himself up so he was standing on the desk. He kicked aside some papers and knocked Mackenzie’s datapad off the table, ignoring it as it fell to the floor.

“Gavin!” Nines exclaimed. Was everyone drunk tonight? He walked over to the desk and hissed, “What are you doing? Get down!”

Gavin smiled. “I’ve got this,” he said, and winked.

Nines had half a mind to drag Gavin down, but he was also curious to see where this was going.

“If anyone here didn’t know by now, Nines and I are a thing,” Gavin called out to the bull-pen. All of the officers were watching him, and a few made cat-calls and one yelled out ‘get-it!’ to Gavin after he spoke.

“And I know it isn’t exactly legal yet, but it will be one day, you can bet your ass on that,” Gavin said to Mackenzie. “I’ve been racking my brains on how to do this for weeks.” He then turned to Nines. “So, I guess asking the man I love to marry me while pissing off an old ass bigot is a twofer I can’t resist.”

Nines mouth fell open and his previously crossed arms fell to the side.

Scoffing, Mackenzie began loudly, “You have got to be-”

“Detective Mackenzie,” Fowler cut in, and motioned to his office’s open door. “Get inside. We need to talk.”

“But,” Mackenzie tried, then shut his mouth when Fowler swung open his office door.

The bull-pen had erupted in whispers and hushed conversations swirling around them. Nines didn’t even notice Mackenzie shove past him, his eyes were focused on Gavin’s hopeful smile and questioning raised eyebrows.

“Gavin,” Nines began hesitantly, “You can’t be serious. You made your point-”

Shrugging, Gavin reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small black box. Nines blinked widely when he saw it, and he knew his LED must have been showing how overwhelmed he was.

Gavin slowly jumped off the desk and stepped up to Nines. He opened the box, revealing a small silver band. “If I wasn’t serious you think I’d be carrying this around for weeks?”

“I,” Nines said, and looked up at Gavin, then smiled. “You did this? For me?”

“Don’t get sappy,” Gavin said, though his wide smile matched Nines. “Just say yes.” He paused for a moment, suddenly unsure. “You know, if you want to. If you don’t or you’re not ready we can-”

He was cut off when Nines stepped forward and kissed him, wrapping his hands around Gavin’s holding the box. Nines knew he didn’t have a heartbeat, but every optic in his system pulsed with life when he touched Gavin at this moment.

The bull-pen erupted in cheers, but the two men ignored all of them. Nines pulled back and rested his forehead against Gavin’s, and whispered so quietly that only Gavin could hear him when he said, “Yes.”

Gavin breathed out a shaky exhale, and laughed once before he said, “Never had a doubt.”

Laughing, Nines pulled back and shook his head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to start off this engagement with a lie.”

Gavin smirked, then with shaking hands he slowly pulled the ring out of the box and slid it onto Nines’ finger. “Tina’s going to be pissed she missed this. She helped me pick out the ring.”

“She’s missing nothing,” Chris said from beside them. He had his phone out pointed towards the two, grinning widely as he recorded everything. “I’m replaying this at your wedding.” He lowered the phone, “You know my son would be an adorable ring-bearer.”

“Slow your roll there,” Gavin said. “We’ll get to wedding planning eventually.”

“All right,” Chris said and slid the phone into his jacket pocket. “I’ll let you two bask in the glow.” He clasped them both on the shoulder before walking away.

Gavin tilted his head towards the exit and said, “That was kind of crazy. You need a break? Want to go for a walk?”

Nines turned towards Fowler’s glass office. Inside he watched Fowler walk back and forth, angrily shouting and pointing at Mackenzie who sat in the chair across from Fowler’s desk, clearly pissed off.

“Eventually,” Nines answered and turned to Gavin. “But first, would you like me to utilize my lip-reading protocol and share with you the colorful things Fowler is saying to Mackenzie?”

Gavin pulled out a desk chair and practically shoved Nines down into the chair next to him, his eagerness clearly evident. “Have I mentioned lately how much I love you?”

Nines just smiled and looked at his ring. 

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Comments and Kudos are always appreciated!


End file.
